Required Credentials for International Applicants

Regardless of U.S. residency status, an English proficiency examination is required of all students whose secondary schooling has been outside the U.S. in a country where English is not the principal language. Score reports must be from tests taken within the past two years and submitted directly to us from the testing service.

English proficiency examination requirements may be waived for students who have attended an English medium school. For more information on waivers, please contact us at RUinternational@admissions.rutgers.edu.

Please note: Students who have earned a grade of B or better in a college-level English Composition course at an accredited U.S. college (not a foreign affiliate) are exempt from the English language proficiency requirement. English courses that are designated ESL, non-native, or which require a special support component, or any courses taken outside the US, are not acceptable. Please also note that Rutgers does not accept correspondence or online courses for the language proficiency requirement.

Rutgers accepts the following standardized tests to determine the English proficiency of its international applicants.

* Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and Rutgers School of Nursing require scores of 100 on the internet-based test and 600 on the paper-based test.

# The Rutgers TOEFL Code is 2765.

^ The minimum score for the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing is 130.

If you plan to study in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa or are currently in the U.S. on a student visa, you will need the Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status. Rutgers will issue your I-20 once you accept our offer of admission. After your I-20 is issued, bring it to the American embassy or consulate when applying for a student visa. Please review the information below about required documentation for I-20 issuance.

Federal government regulations require students who will hold an F-1 student visa to prove to the university that they will be financially supported while they are enrolled. For this purpose, you must submit the International Student Financial Statement (ISFS).

• The ISFS and all supporting documents must be signed and dated no more than nine months prior to your projected enrollment at Rutgers.
• Part B of the ISFS must be completed in its entirety. You must document financial support for each year you plan to attend Rutgers. You may preview a completed sample form for assistance.
• Your sponsor must submit a bank letter/statement from his or her financial institution stating the amount of funds available in the account(s) that will be used to sponsor you. This amount must be greater than or equal to the amount outlined on the ISFS form.
• Documentation of financial resources must be on bank letterhead, with amounts denominated in U.S. dollars.
• If enrolling at Rutgers–New Brunswick or Rutgers–Newark, you will upload your completed ISFS and financial documents to the Rutgers Global portal. Note you will need to activate your NetID to log in. If enrolling at Rutgers–Camden, email your documents to international@camden.rutgers.edu. Retain the original bank letter/statement for your visa interview.

If you have accepted our offer of admission to Rutgers and you are currently studying in the U.S. on an F1 student visa:

• You are required by the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to notify your foreign student adviser of your departure.
• If enrolling at Rutgers–New Brunswick or Rutgers–Newark, you must complete the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Transfer Information section of the Rutgers Global portal.

If you applied for admission by the due date, you will receive your I-20 in time to schedule an interview at the embassy or consulate and in advance of your travel. To obtain your I-20 from Rutgers, you must first accept our offer of admission on your Rutgers CommunityID account with the appropriate box checked to indicate that you need an I-20.

For students enrolling at Rutgers–New Brunswick or Rutgers–Newark schools:

• Complete all required items on the Rutgers Global portal.
• Upload a copy of your passport picture page in the personal information section.
• Upload a completed Rutgers International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) and accompanying financial document on the Rutgers Global portal.
• F-1 students currently studying in the U.S. only, complete the SEVIS transfer information section.

For students enrolling at Rutgers–Camden:

• Submit a completed Rutgers International Student Financial Statement (ISFS).
• Submit financial documentation to accompany the ISFS (detailed above).
• Submit a copy of your passport picture page.
• F-1 students currently studying in the U.S. only, submit the International Student Adviser’s Report (ISAR) completed by your international student adviser and copies of all previous I-20s.

Once you have obtained your I-20 from Rutgers, you will:

1. Visit U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement for important next steps.
2. Pay your I-901 SEVIS fee, mandated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
3. Apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Students enrolling at Rutgers–New Brunswick, prep for your student visa interview with this helpful guide.
4. Prepare for your arrival in the U.S. and plan to attend Rutgers' International Student Orientation.